The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling the positioning of a traveling service unit of a textile machine.
One known type of traveling service unit for individually servicing the stations of a textile machine is configured to move longitudinally along the side of the textile machine. To this end, the textile machine is provided with a longitudinally extending, laterally facing guide surface and the traveling service unit is provided with a guide element for travel along the guide surface in a longitudinal direction to maintain the lateral position of the traveling service unit relative to the textile machine. The traveling service unit is typically provided with a plurality of roller wheels for rolling travel along the floor adjacent the textile machine.
Due to unevenness in the floor along which the traveling service unit travels, the guide element supported on the traveling service unit tends to tilt toward and away from the guide surface which can result in the transmission of relatively significant lateral forces to the guide surface on the textile machine as the traveling service unit traverses the uneven portions of the floor. The frame of the textile machine must accordingly be appropriately reenforced to accommodate such occasional relatively significant lateral forces. Accordingly, the need exists for an apparatus which controls the lateral pressure of the guide element on a traveling service unit against the guide surface of the textile machine to reduce the lateral forces transmitted to the textile machine.